They wore green hats, green beards, green shirts, tights with shamrocks, and black-and-green checkered shirts.

And they wore smiles as the parade passed.

The St. Patrick’s Parade, hosted by the Portland-based Irish American Club, was back on Sunday after a two-year absence.

The last time participants in the annual parade had marched down Commercial Street was in 2019. In 2020 COVID-19 hit Maine and canceled the parade, along with many other celebrations.

But on Sunday a large crowd braved a cold day and lined both sides of the waterfront street as the event made its triumphant return.

Leading the procession was a dark-brown horse named Hercules, ridden by its owner, retired Army Lt. Col. Gerry Scott of Saco, as Molly, a yellow lab, ran alongside. Hercules will also lead the St. Patrick’s parade in Boston this week, Scott said.

Wearing an Irish hat, Maine Gov. Janet Mills marched, waved and wished spectators a happy St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on March 17, Thursday of this week.

There were superheroes – Batman, Bat Girl, Spiderman and Captain American – from Comic Geeks Unite and Pine State Heroes. One person was dressed as St. Patrick and another as a leprechaun.

And there was plenty of Irish music and dancing – by the Claddagh Mhor Pipe Band, the Dunlap Highland Band, high steppers from the Stillson School of Irish Dance. Others in the parade included members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Maine Irish Heritage Center, Maine Gaelic Sports Alliance, Portland Women’s Rugby, Portland Hurling Club, the Ceili dancers, plus Slugger and other mascots from local teams and companies, dignitaries and public safety representatives.

Michelle and Patrick Weber of Portland brought their daughters and friends, all decked out in green. The family was happy to be there despite the brisk weather.

“We always come to the parade,” Michelle said. “We haven’t had a parade for a couple of years. We’re so excited to have it back.”

Before COVID-19 hit, “we’d do all the stuff around Portland, but then everything shut down,” she added. “It’s exciting to have something normal again.”

John Grabler of South Portland dressed his tolerant, friendly dog, Onyx, in a green tutu, a green shirt, ribbons and beads. “We’re just enjoying it,” he said, watching the parade. “This is what we come to celebrate every year.” Pointing to his dog, he said, “I’m Irish. She’s Dutch. She’s a Dutch shepherd.”

Rita Fontes of Kennebunk bragged that she’s “93 percent Irish. … I grew up in Portland. I went to St. Dom’s. There’s a lot of Irish here. I love it.”

She missed the parade in 2020 and 2021, Fontes said. The parade “makes us gather together. It pulls us together. It’s a warm feeling.”

Farther down Commercial Street, three O’Toole sisters were there “to honor our grandmother and grandfather, who came from Ireland,” said Peggy O’Toole Gillooly of Portland.

“It’s a wonderful community event, all the different participants,” she said of the parade. “It’s really fun.”

In the parade were flags representing 32 Irish counties and four Irish provinces, the United States and Ireland. This year a Ukrainian flag also was carried by a participant, in recognition of the Ukrainians under attack by Russia.

“It’s so horrible,” Maeve Terry of Portland said of the war. Carrying the Ukrainian flag was a gesture, she said. “It’s a little solidarity. The Irish are standing with people who are being invaded.”

After the parade concluded, Mike Freethy of the Irish American Club said that the cold and windy forecast probably kept more people from attending. But the crowd was bigger than in 2019, he said.

Freethy said he appreciated the smiles, the waves and cheers on Sunday. “For me it’s the flags coming down the street,” he said. “It’s a great spectacle.”

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